The present disclosure relates generally to wireless control systems for patient-support apparatuses, such as hospital beds. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to wireless control systems having a wireless controller usable by a patient or other person to control functions of the patient-support apparatus and/or other hospital room equipment.
Typical hospital beds have a number of patient input devices, such as buttons, for controlling functions of the bed and other hospital room equipment such as entertainment devices, environment control devices, and/or a nurse call system. The patient input devices are typically located on one or more siderails of the bed. However, some patients may have difficulty in identifying and/or accessing the patient input devices that are located on the siderails of the bed. For example, a patient may have difficulty accessing the patient input devices from a resting position on the bed. Additionally, the patient may have difficulty accessing and/or identifying the patient input devices such as when the patient is standing next to the bed or sitting in a nearby chair. Some hospital beds may include a wired or otherwise tethered pendant or controller having a selection of patient input devices located thereon. However, the wires of the pendant may become entangled with other lines, such as IV lines, patient monitoring lines, catheter lines, nasogastric lines, and the like.